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Saturday, June 28, 2014

The cider makers at Angry Orchard today announced that Angry Orchard Crisp Apple hard cider is now available in Canada, just in time for summer patio and BBQ season. Since its U.S. national debut in 2012, Angry Orchard has become the number one selling cider brand in America. Hard cider is one of the fastest growing beverage categories in Canada, and with this growing popularity, Angry Orchard is eager to introduce its hard ciders as a high-quality, refreshing alternative to beer and wine. Angry Orchard is now available in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta and will roll out to the rest of Canada later this summer.

The cider makers at Angry Orchard have experimented with different apple varieties and fermentation methods for more than 15 years, looking to perfect the craft of cider making. The cider makers discovered that Italian culinary apples and French bittersweet apples were best suited for the flavour profile of Angry Orchard Crisp Apple. In Normandy and Bretagne, France, farmers have been growing cider apples specific to cider making for hundreds of years. Unlike ordinary apples, these bittersweet apples impart certain tannins, acidity and flavours lending body, mouthfeel and complexity to the cider. The culinary apples from Italy have a juicy, ripe apple character that, when combined with the bittersweet apples, results in an exceptional blend that contributes to the complex flavour profile of each Angry Orchard cider style.

“We have spent years crafting the perfect blend of carefully selected ingredients to create the highest-quality Angry Orchard ciders. We’re proud Canada can now taste the ‘fruits of our labour’ and believe that Angry Orchard will satisfy drinkers looking to discover a crisp and refreshing beverage with a complex but balanced flavour profile,” says David Sipes, cider maker for Angry Orchard.

Sun seekers and patio lovers have a refreshing summer ale from Beau’s All Natural Brewing to try out at LCBOs and select restaurants and pubs across Ontario starting this week. Patio Saison, a 5.9% unfiltered Belgian-style ale, is satisfyingly both dry and refreshing. The beer offers up mild pepper-and-clove spice in harmony with the citrusy zest of organic orange peel, and the floral aroma of organic elderflower.

“The saison style has its origins in the Wallonia region of Belgium,” explains Beau’s brewmaster Matthew O’Hara. “Traditionally the beer was brewed to slake the thirst of farmhands during harvest time, so it makes a perfect beer for warmer weather,” he adds. O’Hara recommends pairing Beau’s Patio Saison with summer sausage, rollmops, and creamy cheeses served with flavourful artisanal breads such as rye or sourdough.

Beau’s originally released Patio Saison in 2012 in restaurants and pubs across Ontario to celebrate the beginning of patio season that year, and the fan-favourite brew also made an appearance in the 2013 Best of Beau’s mix-pack. The fruity character comes courtesy of both the Belgian-style yeast and the addition of dried organic orange peel. The complexity is enhanced with the yeast’s characteristic spiciness and mild earthy undertones.

Patio Saison is expected to be available for July and most of August. The 600 ml bottles of Patio Saison retail for $7.85 at LCBOs across Ontario, as well as direct from the brewery, and through home delivery in Ottawa via BYBO (www.bybo.ca). The beer will also be served on tap at restaurants and pubs who pour Beau’s Wild Oats selections: beers designed to explore a range of unique ingredients, bold flavours and exciting aromas.

BEAU’S All Natural Brewing is a family-run craft brewery founded in 2006. BEAU’S brews interesting, tasty beers using the highest-quality organic ingredients & local spring water. A member of the Ontario Craft Brewers, BEAU’S is a recipient of numerous international awards for brewing excellence, including 2 GOLD medals at Mondial de la Bière (Strasbourg, France, and Montreal, Quebec); 6 GOLD medals at the Canadian Brewing Awards, 7-times “Best Craft Brewery in Ontario” (2007-2013) and 5-times “Best Craft Beer in Ontario” (2007-2011) at the Golden Tap Awards; LCBO Brewmasters Cup Champion (2013); and “Best Beer” and “Best Brewery” at the National Capital Craft Beer Festival (2012-2013). BEAU’S received a Community Builder Award from the United Way (2013), and was CAFE’s 2010 Canadian Family Enterprise of the Year. BEAU’S flagship and seasonal beers are available throughout most of Ontario. BEAU'S entire line of beer is certified organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd, and BEAU’S is a Certified B-Corp.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

The 2014 Burlington Beer Festival is ready to celebrate Ontario’s craft beer community from July 18 to 20 at Spencer Smith Park on the Burlington waterfront. Festival guests will enjoy the opportunity to sample and learn about new and exciting offerings from more than two dozen Ontario craft breweries, including limited edition beers that are not sold at the LCBO or The Beer Store. Visitors can speak to the brewers directly and learn first-hand the difference between lagers, ales and stouts, they sample a range of made-in-Ontario pilsners, cream ales, pale ales, wheat beers and more. There’s also food and live music all weekend long!

Festival hours are Friday July 18 from 3:00 pm till 10:00 pm, Saturday July 19 from noon till 10:00 pm, and Sunday July 20 from noon till 8:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at www.burlingtonbeerfest.com/tickets, or in person at 4391 Harvester Road, Unit 5A Burlington, L7L 4X1. Three ticket options are available: General Admission $35, VIP $75, and a Park Pass for $20. “The Burlington Beer Festival provides another exciting new waterfront event that falls between the Sound of Music Festival and the Rotary Ribfest,” said Rick Goldring, Mayor of Burlington. “With its focus on local craft brewers, live entertainment and emphasis on enjoying Burlington’s waterfront and downtown restaurants, it is hoped that this event will be enjoyed by the community and become an annual draw for residents and tourists alike.”

The $35 general admission ticket includes 8 four-ounce tasting tickets and full access to the event grounds all day, while VIP guests receive 10 four-ounce samples, one 12 ounce beer, access to Fairview Tire VIP tent (with food and beverage prepared fresh throughout day, seating on a private patio, tutored pairings and more), plus a commemorative festival glass. “The Burlington Beer Festival is an excellent addition to the fantastic festivals that happen in our great community every summer, making Burlington the place to be,” said The Hon. Mike Wallace, MP for Burlington.

The inaugural Burlington Beer Festival is a 19+ event (ID required), and will take place rain or shine. The festival enjoys the enthusiastic support of the City of Burlington, Burlington Restaurant Association and Burlington Hotel Association, and is a member of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

One week to go until Ontario Craft Beer Week, a province-wide celebration of Ontario Craft Beer and the brewers who make it. The fifth annual Ontario Craft Beer Week is the perfect time for everyone from adventurous consumers to curious newbies to experience the craft beer craze and meet the "Real People behind the Real Beer."

A key theme of OCB Week is "Collaboration" between brewers. Many OCB members work together to make beer, hold events and build the industry. This kind of teamwork is rare in a competitive industry. OCB Week is a great time to experience this unique culture first-hand.

"Ontario's craft brewing sector is growing by leaps and bounds," says Darren Smith, President of Lake of Bays Brewing Company and co-chair of Ontario Craft Beer Week 2014. "With hundreds of events in towns and cities across the province, there's no better time to get out and experience the collaborative culture and great flavours of craft beer."

OCB 'B'WHEET' BEER: Collaboration with Black Oak Brewery

To celebrate Ontario Craft Beer Week, OCB collaborated with Black Oak Brewery of Etobicoke to create an official OCB Week beer. OCB'Wheet is a Golden Beet American Wheat made by brewers Jon Hodd & Mike Lynn at Black Oak. The Ontario golden beets were roasted first to carmelize the flavour and then added to the boil. B'Wheet is made with wheat and Vienna malt and some British hops, super Galena for bittering, East Kent Golding for flavour and Sorachi for aroma. This slightly bitter, fuller bodied wheat has nice earthy undertones, a lovely flowery hoppy flavour and will be nice on a hot day.

PAN-ONTARIO BEER: By Beau's All Natural

For the fifth year running, Beau's All Natural Brewing has created annual collaboration beer, a blend of barrel-aged or strong beers from Ontario craft brewers. This year's blend will have Matt's Sleepy Time Belgian-style Imperial Stout as its base, and will be topped up with Oust House Biere de Garde (aged in Canadian oak barrels), and Sawdust City's The Princess Wears Girl Pants Belgian Golden Ale. Pan Ontario 2014 will be available at the OCB Week official launch event on Friday, June 13 at Yonge Dundas Square (11 a.m.) and at select restaurants and pubs as part of Beau's OCB week events.

The ultimate collaboration of the week takes place at the Session Craft Beer Festival to be held this year at Yonge & Dundas Square (June 13, 14). Organizers at Session inspired all brewers to collaborate with an artists or celebrities to make beer for sampling during the festival. This year's 'Collaboration Nation' features 25+ of collaborative offerings including: Beau's & Margaret Atwood; Sawdust City and Citytv Meteorologist Adam Stiles, Spearhead & Sam Roberts Band, Kevin Brauch (Thirsty Traveler) & Kensington Brewery, Mill Street & July Talk, Niagara College & Chef Michael Smith, Steam Whistle & The Darcy's AND MANY MORE AMAZING PAIRINGS!!!www.sessiontoronto.ca

Monday, June 9, 2014

Halifax Seaport BeerFest: Atlantic Canada’s largest beer festival returns for its 8th annual “Beer on the Pier”. The event will take place at the Cunard Centre on Halifax’s Waterfront, Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9.

This year the festival will showcase exclusively craft beers, premium imports and ciders. Over 275 unique brands from 110 participating breweries, representing the best from local producers, national and 15 other countries.

Attendees have three sessions to choose from. The first session is Friday evening from 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., the second is Saturday afternoon from 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., and the final is Saturday evening from 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. New this year, both Saturday sessions will offer a special VIP option. A limited number of festival-goers will enjoy a panel discussion and exclusive beer tasting with special guests and visiting brewers’ plus early access to the festival floor.

Local Maritime beer features prominently in this festival and this year will be no different. "Last year saw an explosion of new Nova Scotia craft brewers and all came out to sample and talk with attendees,” said Brian Titus, festival co-founder. "With upwards of 10 breweries slated to open in 2014 there should be plenty of new local beers."

New to the festival this year is the Cask Beer Pavilion. Seaport BeerFest is pleased to partner with Bar Stillwell and Ladies Beer League to profile the amazing world of Real Ale/Cask Beer. Local brewers will create unique and tasty cask-conditioned beers to be tapped on site.

Once again, the Halifax Seaport BeerFest will profile a number of great beer regions and nations. The popular Irish Craft Beer Village will profile beers and ciders from some of Ireland’s best independent producers shipped direct from Dublin. Other great pavilions will include, Maine, Ontario and Quebec. There will also be an amazing selection of premium imports from Belgium, Germany, England and the Czech Republic.

This year, the event is proudly hosting two special beer guests. The first guest is
Nick Pashley, author of Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It’s Necessary and Cheers: An Intemperate History of Beer in Canada. Born 13.6 miles from the Harveys Brewery in East Sussex, Pashley is a longtime member of the Campaign for Real Ale (UK). He is also a founding board member of Toronto Beer Week and CASK! Toronto, an organization bent on promoting cask-conditioned ale.

Well-known for his erudition and sardonic wit, Pashley has written comic material for Dave Broadfoot and three governor-generals. He has also written a humour column for the University of Toronto Bulletin for fifteen years. A long-time resident of Toronto and a connoisseur of pubs and publishing, he now devotes his time to hosting literary events and writing his next book.

The second special guest is Stephen Clinch, co-founder and co-owner of Trouble Brewing and part of the second wave of Irish craft breweries pushing the boundaries of beer in Ireland over the last five years. Started in 2010, Trouble Brewing produces diverse and interesting beer styles, many of which have not previously been produced in Ireland. Trouble Brewing moved locations in 2013, expanding its brewery and continuing to produce outstanding beer from only natural ingredients. His love for beer is matched only by his love for sport. If he is not in the pub, sampling the latest brew, he is in a park somewhere playing soccer.

The Halifax Seaport BeerFest is also pleased to present local live entertainment during each session. DJ Stilldrunk returns to spin tracks on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon features acoustic duo, Tyler Key & Trevor Conrad and Saturday evening will feature one of the hottest DJ’s on the East Coast, DJ Savory.

Local food vendors will be on hand offering mouth-watering and beer-friendly cuisine, including the Waterfront Warehouse Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Stubborn Goat Gastropub and Bramoso Gourmet Pizzeria. All food items are priced at $5 or less with gluten-free options available.

Tickets for the Halifax Seaport BeerFest go on sale this Friday, June 13 at 10 a.m. Tickets may be purchased at select NSLC locations throughout Nova Scotia. They may also be purchased through the Ticket Atlantic box office, by phone at 451-1221 (1-877-451-1221) and online at ticketatlantic.com/. All sessions are $45 per person in advance ($50 at the festival box office). VIP tickets (Saturday only) are $65 per person. Prices do not include tax and applicable surcharges.

New this year, a Festival Box Office at Cunard Centre will be open from noon until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for cash sales only. Tickets at the onsite box office are limited as sessions do sell out.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Fans can choose their favourite Beau’s beers of all-time by voting online or at the brewery this June; top 4 beers will be brewed up for Beau’s 2014 LCBO gift pack

Most people are not yet thinking about what to serve for holiday dinner this December, but at Beau’s All Natural the planning starts early. Voting begins today for the third edition of Best of Beau’s: a mixed 4-pack of fan-favourite Beau’s beers to be released for sale in November. This is the third year Beau’s will be letting democracy decide which beers go into the holiday gift pack, which will be available at LCBOs across Ontario, as well as directly from the brewery.

Last year’s Best of Beau’s voting saw a total of 1,779 ballots cast to choose the four winning beers: Burnt Rock Vanilla Porter, Doc's Feet Dubbel, Screamin' Beaver Double IPA, and Rudolphus VI Belgian IPA. The selections in the running for 2014 include every beer Beau’s has produced in the last eight years, with the exception of those that are already available year round (Lug Tread and The Tom Green Beer!) and a handful that simply can’t be recreated.

“We are in love with the idea of letting our fans choose the beers we brew for this 4-pack every year, because it’s an awesome way to connect with them and hear what they are digging the most,” says Beau’s co-founder Steve Beauchesne. “It’s a very ‘Beau’s’ thing to do, and plus it’s such a fun surprise for us as we watch the votes come in.”

Fans will have only a few weeks to vote their favourite Beau’s beer into the mix pack, as the polls will close June 30. Voting can be done online at the Beau’s website, or at the brewery’s retail store in Vankleek Hill. The online ballot for Best of Beau’s can be found at www.beaus.ca/VOTE. Results will be announced in early July.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Cameron’s is kicking off Summer 2014 with a refreshing new line-up of beers in the second release of their Brewmaster’s Selection Four-Pack Series. This limited-time release includes two of Cameron’s year-round offerings plus two of our award-winning seasonal beers, available for the first time in a 341mL bottle.

Cameron’s Brewmaster’s Selection features their newly released California Sunshine APA (American Pale Ale), a sessionable, and golden-hued ale with hints of honeydew melon, guava, orange and lime. It also features an interesting twist on the classic Bavarian ‘maibock’ with Cameron’s Rye Bock, a unique golden-orange German-style lager brewed using Hallertau hops to create a hint of floral aroma.

Also featured in the Brewmaster’s Selection is their Cameron’s Rye Pale Ale, a fan-favourite and an Ontario and Canadian Brewing Awards winner for the third year in a row. Their RPA is made with a combination of seven different floral British and pungent American hops, supported by a large bill of five character malts. This excellent roster is complemented by the timeless classic, our award-winning Cameron’s Lager. This European-style lager is brewed using the finest ‘noble’ hops, and aged cold and long to create a crisp, refreshing flavour.

Since beer and music go hand in hand, they’re proud to say beer fans will be able to enjoy the new Brewmaster’s Selection Four-Pack while sampling more free music downloads. The free music download from the Julian Taylor Band in the first Brewmaster’s Selection release was so popular, they decided to up our game and partner with four bands from the Toronto music scene. With this release of our Brewmaster’s Selection come free downloads of hit singles from LEH-LO, Tyler Ellis, The Julian Taylor Band, and The Cameron Brothers Band. Cameron's thrilled to partner with these talented local musicians to give something special back to their loyal craft beer fans.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

On May 31st, the 12th annual Canadian Brewing Awards presentation was held at The Fredericton Convention Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick. There were 916 beers in 38 categories entered into this year’s competition from over 130 Canadian breweries from across the country, including Amsterdam Brewery. Awards of gold, silver or bronze were given to the top three scoring beers in each category. The judging was conducted in Toronto over a three-day period by 40 BJCP certified beer judges in a blind and controlled tasting.

When all was said and done, Amsterdam ended up with 5 total medals this year, tying with their good friends at Great Lakes Brewery for the most medals awarded to an Ontario Brewery! Medals awarded to Amsterdam include:

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Ontario’s lush Niagara fruit belt gave birth to award-winning Pinot Noirs and Rieslings—but these days it’s producing a lot more than wine. In fact, the region is undergoing a small-batch booze boom: in the last four years, three new breweries and a craft distiller have sprung up in the region. This year alone, six craft beer festivals will be held there, and four more breweries are in the planning stages.

On Saturday June 21st the Small Batch Booze Tour will take food and drink lovers to Niagara-on-the-Lake to discover the boom—visiting Oast House brewery, having a two-course lunch at Niagara College Food & Wine Institute, and touring Dillon’s Distillery.

Together these new makers are adding some new complexities to Niagara’s terroir: Oast House Brewery specializes in creating “farmhouse ales,” which are made using a spicy, fruity Belgian yeast and re-fermented in the bottle for weeks before being released. Oast House is one of the only breweries in Canada to have a temperature-controlled room built exclusively for bottle conditioning.

The waiting list to get into Canada’s only brewmaster program, launched at Niagara College in 2010, is bigger than their student body. As for the graduates, the placement rate is 100 percent—making the campus, located on the Beamsville bench, the birthplace of Canada’s new generation of brewers.

Then there’s Dillon’s Distillers, a family-run outfit that is devoted to making Canada’s first “real” rye whiskey, crafted from 100 percent rye (instead of the mass-market competitors which use corn, barley and other grains). The distiller based itself in the fruit belt so that it could harvest local fruits to craft its eau de vie’s, gins and bitters.

Crystal Luxmore, a Certified Cicerone (aka beer sommelier) and beer columnist will be leading the tour. Get a behind-the-scenes look on this daytrip with tours by brewmasters and distillers, a two-course gourmet lunch with beer pairings and coach transport to and from Toronto.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Today is a very special day in London ON. Not only is it the 1st Anniversary of the city's newest brewer, it is also the 2nd Anniversary of the best place to enjoy craft beer! And to mark the occasion, the two businesses are getting together for a "Tap Takeover" to party in style.

This a total tap takeover with 23 lines of true London beer from FRBC and perhaps even something from resident mad scientist: Dr ADIL.

It is $5 general admission, no tickets, no reservation.

Beer samples $3 - 5oz.
Finger foods and limited bar menu available.

First 100 people through the door will receive a coupon for a free Forked River glass.

Perfect brew for an afternoon in the sun…tropical fruit character dives forward with hints of honeydew melon, guava, orange and lime.

Cameron’s inspiration for the perfect American Pale Ale (APA) came from California, the birthplace of the APA style, where the sun, sand, and the waves go hand in hand with great beer. Introducing Cameron’s California Sunshine APA, a sessionable, straw-coloured and golden-hued ale at 5.1 % Alc/Vol.

“Cameron’s California Sunshine is a delicious, lighter-bodied beer with a lively, fresh taste,” says Cameron’s Brewmaster, Jason Britton. “The tropical fruit character dives forward with hints of honeydew melon, guava, orange and lime. These flavour notes come naturally from the different hops we use in the brewing process, including Simcoe and Liberty. The juiciness of the hops rounds out the body, leaving a hint of tartness for cleansing the palate and a white webbing of creamy head,” he adds.

American Pale Ales can trace their lineage back to British Pale Ales and were born out of the American craft beer revolution in the 1980’s. Even though they were trying to mimic traditional British styles they loved and respected, California brewers created interesting new styles with West Coast hops, which resulted in more piney and citrusy beers.

“The latest creation in our Brewmaster’s Series is perfect for an afternoon in the sun, whether on the dock, on a patio, at a barbecue, or on the beach. The art and science of this recipe is that the combination of hops has brought forward refreshing tropical notes to make it a truly sessionable beer,” adds Bill Coleman, President of Cameron’s Brewing Co.

Cameron’s California Sunshine APA is best served at 6-8°C in an imperial pint glass. It is 5.1% ABV (alcohol by volume), and will be available in 650mL bottles at the LCBO (SKU #391524) and Cameron’s Retail Store for $5.95. It is currently being served on draught now at select bars including Tequila Bookworm, An Sibin House, The Rhino Bar and Grill, C’est What, Wurst, and Hair of the Dog Pub.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

The 12th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards were held at the Fredericton Convention Centre from Thursday, May 29 – Saturday May 31, 2014.

Selected last month in a series of blind tastings by a panel of BJCP certified judges, the full list of winners for this year – including a second straight win for Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery in the Brewery of the Year category – is as follows:

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Wellington Brewery's Queen of Craft Women's Beer Series will hold it's final session this upcoming Wednesday, June 4th at the eBar, bringing together 10 influential women in the Ontario craft beer industry for a round-table discussion. Each woman will talk about her experience in the industry, guide participants through a beer tasting and answer questions from the audience. All proceeds from this series support Guelph-Wellington Women In Crisis.

The line-up of panelists includes:

Helen Sheedy - Territory Manager of Muskoka Brewery, discussing the opportunities for women in the craft beer industry.Carmen Vincente - Brewer and Sales for Bellwoods Brewery, discussing small-batch brewing and the secret of Bellwoods success.Shelley Biernes - Gilberston and Page, discussing home brewing basics.Crystal Luxmore - Beer Columnist and Certified Cicerone, discussing the trials and tribulations of working as an independent beer writer in a co-dependent craft beer scene.Sarah Dawkins - General Manager of Wellington Brewery, sharing stories from the top.Nicole Hynes - Owner and Founder of Sweetgrass Brewing, discussing the upstart of a microbrewery.Erica Campbell - Manager of Black Oak Brewing, Co-founder of the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies, discussing the importance of beer groups for women.Erica McOustra - Head Brewer at Steamwhistle Brewing, discussing large-scale brewing techniques.Robin LeBlanc - Award-winning writer and owner of The Thirsty Wench, discussing beer-blogging.Brandi Lee McDonald - Co-founder of the Because Beer Festival and Certified Beer Judge, discussing the world of judging beer, how-to and why?

"Any woman interested in a career in beer, or simply interested in expanding their beer knowledge will not want to miss this event!" -Karyn Boscariol, Wellington Brewery Event Coordinator and Queen of Craft Organizer

Queen of Craft: Industry Queens Round Table happens on Wednesday, June 4th from 7:00-9:00 PM at eBar (41 Quebec St). A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase from queenofcraft.eventbrite.ca

Friday, May 30, 2014

Next month, the Halifax Ladies Beer League (LBL) is celebrating their first anniversary by hosting a celebration for their supporters at The Wooden Monkey in Dartmouth on June 20th at 7:30 PM.

“We’ve come a long way since our first event at Garrison in June 2013” says LBL Founder Tracy Phillippi. “In the past year we’ve turned this great idea into a growing movement of women and men who are passionate about growing the craft beer scene in Nova Scotia”

Now organized by a team of five female board members, the LBL has many notable accomplishments including: Organizing Halifax’s first Cask Beer Festival, Brewing their own commercially available beer with Boxing Rock Brewing Company as part of International Women’s Day, And, hosting eight unique events throughout Halifax featuring many of Nova Scotia’s craft breweries. “There are women in Halifax who recently discovered their love of craft beer at our events, and that motivates us to keep going strong”, says Phillippi.

The LBL has also inspired similar female-run groups in Ontario, New Brunswick and Western Canada. According to LBL Board Member Lindsay MacPhee, "We continue to receive emails and phone calls from like-minded women who were interested in starting their own version or chapter of Ladies Beer League. It is absolutely encouraging to see how many women share the same passion we do."

As new breweries continue to open they are also encouraged by the presence of the LBL. Emily Tipton, owner of Boxing Rock Brewer agrees. “Growing craft beer in Nova Scotia needs people getting together to talk, learn and enjoy what is so great about craft beer, and that's just what the LBL does.. They help make it an exciting time to brew beer here”. Jeremy White, owner of Big Spruce, says “The LBL stands out among craft beer interests groups in their ability to organize and coordinate the promotion of craft beer awareness and enjoyment across Nova Scotia."

The LBL Birthday Party will feature one-off Cask-conditioned beer from North, Big Spruce and Garrison breweries. Unlike previous LBL events, there are no presold tickets the LBL Birthday Party & guests can pay as they go. “We are throwing a party for everyone who has supported us over the past year, as well as anyone who might have been curious but never attended”, says Pam Crouse, LBL Chairwoman. “We’d love to see everyone come out, even if just for a pint”.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

It's that time of the year again. Hale's has once again released a Barrel Aged Gold Rush, this time left UNBLENDED for your tasting pleasure!

Hale's Barrel Aged Gold Rush was released May 15th 2014.

Gold Rush is a stand-out ale on its own, with an aroma of cloves and tangerine from the French saison yeast and a floral hint of aromatic hops. While hops are apparent on the front palate, the sweet, spicy taste of a golden saison ale lingers on the tongue.

After being aged 14 months in whiskey barrels, the Barrel Aged Gold Rush takes this flavor to a whole new level. This ale is rich with mellowed spice, rounded out by a vanilla sweetness from the oak. Nicely balanced, this ale is meant to be sipped and savored.

"When we decide to barrel-age a beer, we normally have a clear picture of the end result. Certain characteristics of the barrels will compliment the nuances of the beer being aged in them. With the Gold Rush, we were truly experimenting-- we didn't expect the earthy, spicy nature of the Belgian yeast to blend so harmoniously with the vanilla, coconut, and tannin of the bourbon barrel. This beer is 3 years in the making and now we proudly present our happy experiment!" --Lincoln Zmolek, Hale's Ales Brewmaster.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Railway City have brewed their first Gruit and for those of you that do not know what a Gruit is, you are not alone. This is a beer style that is brewed using no hops, and was actually very common style during the medieval era.

According to Wikipedia: Gruit (alternately grut or gruyt) is an old-fashioned herb mixture used for bittering and flavoring beer, popular before the extensive use of hops. Gruit or grut ale may also refer to the beverage produced using gruit.

Why did they brew a Gruit now? They are working with the Oxford Renaissance Festival in Woodstock, and the Gruit beer is perfect for their event.

They are also helping them come up with their own name for their Festival beer. They are holding a Nameth eBeer contest whereby they will be giving away some tickets to their festival. Visit www.facebook.com/oxfordrenfest for more details.

Railway City's Gruit pours a translucent golden straw with an ample, long lasting white head. On the nose it immediately hits with strong spice and woodsy note conjuring memories of sage, cumin, mint and menthol. Followed quickly by a malty sweetness with toffee. It's lack of hops may mean no bitterness, but certainly not in flavour, coming in with a thick and full body bringing a herbaceous and peppery blend of sage, rosemary, juniper and cumin, before finishing sweet with mango and pear.

Ontario craft beer will be feted across the province June 15-21 as part of the Ontario Craft Beer association’s OCB Week, and local brewery Beau’s All Natural will be a big part of the celebrations. Beau’s has planned more than 30 OCB Week events to take place over the course of the week, in 15 different towns and cities. Themes for the Beau’s-hosted events include Craft Beer and Food Pairings, Casks + One-offs, Craft Beer and Music, and Meet the Makers.

Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto will host many of Beau’s OCB week events, but there are also Beau’s-themed activities in other locales such as Burlington, Campbellford, Cornwall, Gananoque, Guelph, Kitchener, Oakville, Perth, Port Dover, Port Hope, and Vankleek Hill. Events include BBQs, beer dinners and food pairing evenings, tap takeovers (Beau’s beer on all draft taps), live music events, and numerous opportunities to meet the people from Beau’s. A full list of events can be accessed via the OCB week website (www.ocbweek.ca), and clicking on “Events.”

Toronto’s Session Craft Beer Festival June 13-14 will be the launch of Beau’s collaboration with Canadian novelists Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson; a gruit ale to be called MaddAddamites NooBroo. The un-hopped beer will be infused with a bouquet of herbs and botanicals inspired by Atwood’s latest novel. The beer is entered in Session’s Collaboration Nation contest. The winning beer, chosen by popular vote at the festival, will receive a listing in the LCBO. The beer is brewed in honour of the Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO), and will raise funds for their ongoing work.

Beau’s will also be launching its Pan Ontario 2014, an annual blend of barrel-aged or strong beers from Ontario craft brewers. This year’s blend will have Matt’s Sleepy Time Belgian-style Imperial Stout as its base, and will be topped up with Great Lakes Brewing’s Harry Porter (aged in bourbon barrels), Oust House Biere de Garde (aged in Canadian oak barrels), and Sawdust City’s The Princess Wears Girl Pants Belgian Golden Ale. Pan Ontario 2014 will be available at select restaurants and pubs as part of Beau’s OCB week events.

As a kick-off to OCB week, Beau’s will be offering Fathers’ Day Weekend bus trips to the brewery from Ottawa through Groupon. Buses depart Ottawa at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm on both Saturday June 14, and Sunday June 15. Tickets are $10 ($25 value), and include a free pint glass, a tour of the Beau’s brewery, and 4 sample tickets. Food will be available for purchase both Saturday and Sunday; the beer-infused and inspired menu courtesy of Chef Bruce Wood includes pulled pork sandwiches with beer mustard on artisanal bread, apple slaw, and corn on the cob with chili butter. Tickets can be purchased starting Monday May 26 through Groupon.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch has officially announced that proceeds from the 2014 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old fundraising campaign will wholly support Can Praxis, Canada’s national leader in equine therapy for veterans and their families. The fundraising announcement marks the next chapter in their continued partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada, a not-for-profit organization that provides programs for wounded or injured Canadian soldiers and reservists. Glenfiddich donates two dollars for every bottle of Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera sold across Canada to Wounded Warriors Canada. In 2014 and beyond the funds raised will be used to benefit Can Praxis programming.

The announcement was made on May 21st at the historic Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta with Can Praxis Co-Founder, Steve Critchley on hand to receive the good news. The support of the Glenfiddich two dollar donation campaign will allow Critchley to continue to provide programs that improve the quality of life for veterans. Critchley commented on the announcement, explaining; “Glenfiddich's direct support of Wounded Warriors Canada and Can Praxis allows us to provide programs for veterans and their families at no cost to participants. This support is significant and ensures we (Can Praxis) are able to conduct innovative programs and provide proven help for those in need.”

While the Canadian Forces uses teambuilding, communications training and leadership development to prepare soldiers for war, Can Praxis uses horses to help soldiers recover from the effects of war and regain family relationships.

Glenfiddich began their partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada in 2012 after donating the proceeds from a record-breaking charitable Scotch auction in Toronto, Ontario. Since then Glenfiddich’s fundraising efforts have resulted in over $180,000 in support of Wounded Warriors Canada, including the single largest donation ever received by the not for- profit organization last year of $131,616. Glenfiddich chose to acknowledge and focus on the Wounded Warriors Canada supported programs of Can Praxis for 2014 because of a shared value between the organizations. Support for Can Praxis’ work to heal Canadian military families through pioneering and innovative programs came as a natural progression in Glenfiddich’s continued support for Wounded Warriors Canada and the emphasis on Family.

“When it comes to our ongoing partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada, we have and always will be guided by the philosophy of families helping families,” says Beth-Anne Thomas, National Brand Manager for Glenfiddich. “As a family-run distillery, we are thankful that our fundraising efforts in 2014 will directly support veterans and their families using pioneering equine-assisted learning methods. We couldn’t be more proud to welcome them into our family at Glenfiddich.”

Glenfiddich will present Can Praxis and Wounded Warriors Canada with the total amount raised through the 2014 fundraising campaign at a cheque presentation leading up to Remembrance Day later this year.